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More of Arab descent in state

By Niraj Warikoo and Victoria Turk
Detroit Free Press
Posted on Thursday September 27, 2007

Census says there is a 27% increase

Michigan’s Arab-American population surged 27% from 2000 to 2006, continuing a growth that makes the state a national center for people who have roots in the Middle East.

There are an estimated 147,000 Michiganders with Arab ancestry, according to U.S. Census figures released today. An additional 29,000 residents identify themselves as Iraqi Christians.

The growth came as the state’s population rose 1.6% during the period, an indication that immigrants are driving the modest growth.

“It shows how they see America positively,” said Suehaila Amen, 28, a Dearborn resident of Arab descent. “They want to come here and accomplish their goals and dreams.”

Michigan had the highest concentration of Arab Americans in the 2000 Census. It was unclear whether that remains true because figures for all states were not available.

But the community is growing, expanding beyond traditional hubs such as Dearborn. The new numbers depict a group that is younger, has larger families and is more likely to have been born abroad than most Michiganders.

The median age for residents of Arab ancestry is 28, compared with 37 overall. Average Arab family size in the state is 4.11, compared with 3.13 overall. About 46% of Arab residents are foreign-born.

Nationally, the Arab-American population grew 22% to about 1.47 million, with an additional 89,000 Americans who labeled their ancestry as Chaldean, Assyrian, or Syriac—three Christian groups with roots in Iraq.

The Census Bureau’s Arab category covers several Middle Eastern countries, including Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Syria and Morocco. Lebanese Americans are the largest subgroup; about 58,000 live in Michigan, followed by Iraqis at 20,651. When people who identify themselves as Chaldeans are counted, the number with Iraqi roots increases to about 50,000.